Multi-compartment package

ABSTRACT

In a multi-compartment package ( 10 ) comprising a back sheet and a front sheet sealed together along the circumference ( 14 - 17 ) thereof and a sealing partition line ( 12, 13 ) separating adjacent compartments ( 11   a,    11   b;    11   a,    11   b,    11   c ), each compartment has external tear-initiation means ( 21, 22; 31, 32, 33 ), and the partition lines ( 12, 13 ) are non-breakable and the tear-initiation means ( 21, 22, 31, 32, 33 ) are provided at the sealed circumferential edges ( 14 - 17 ) such that the compartments ( 11   a - 11   c ) stay united even after being torn open.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a multi-compartment package comprising a back sheet and a front sheet sealed together along the circumference thereof and a sealing partition line between adjacent compartments, each compartment having external tear-initiation means.

BACKGROUND ART

Packages providing room for different materials in separate compartments are common, whereby the partition between the materials is considered as a temporary barrier to be broken at time of use.

Other multi-compartment packages are usually provided with a weakening line between compartments, along which the package is divided into single-material packages.

In a number of applications it is either a convenience or even a necessity to always have different materials available together and also to use them in a defined or functional sequence.

Current packages do not provide a guarantee that all components for an application are always there, as compartments might, prior to the use situation, have been separated from the package.

Also a correct sequence to follow when opening to the different materials is not easily recognized with current packages.

The said drawbacks are overcome with the solution according to the invention as defined in the claims.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention a multi-compartment package as defined above has non-breakable partition lines, and tear-initiation means are provided in such positions that tearing will progress along a sealed circumferential edge.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention each tear-initiation means or point is marked with clear symbols for the sequence instruction regarding the order of use of the associated compartments These symbols would preferably be inherently understood sequences of e.g. letters A, B, C numbers 1, 2, 3 . . . , or the like.

In one embodiment of the invention, the package is of rectangular form with a partition line extending between points on two opposite side edges, said line being in an angle between 0° and 90° to the side edges, preferably 90°.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the package is of a polygonal form having compartments defined by at least one outer edge and one or more partition lines, each compartment being provided with a tear-initiating notch in the outer edge near the corners of the package in the package according to the invention, the sealed edges and the partitions could preferably be provided by use of an adhesive or by any known pressing, welding or fusion technique.

EFFECT OF INVENTION

Due to the permanent nature of a partition line in a package according to the invention, the user will not easily be tempted to split a package into a number of sub packages, and therefore the contained materials will likely stay together to the benefit of the future user.

The only other way to break the unity of the package is to tear open a compartment and remove the material therefrom

Accordingly, the invention will provide for a better guarantee that the complete kit of materials to be contained in a package will be available at any time.

The position of the tear-initiation means in the circumferential edges of the package according to the invention makes it possible to maintain the unity of the package to a large degree, in that all interconnecting walls of the compartments are maintained, and all instructions or information printed on the faces of the package are still readable

The proper use of the package in terms of making functionally correct access to the different materials contained in the package may be supported by e.g. the symbol shown next to each tear-initiation means, whereby each symbol to be read may be printed in a way that urges the user to hold the package in an intended position for each tearing action.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Examples of embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings followed by a detailed explanation thereof.

FIG. 1 front image of a first embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2 schematic representation of a few layouts of packages according to the invention,

FIG. 3 layout of a two-compartment package containing an antiseptic serviette and adhesive plaster,

FIG. 4 layout of a three-compartment package containing an antiseptic pad, a spatula and an ointment

In FIGS. 1 and 3 a package 10 according to the invention is composed of a rectangular front sheet covering compartments 11 a, 11 b and sealed together with a back sheet (not visible) along the circumference 14-17 thereof. A sealing partition line 12 extends between points on opposite outer edges 15, 17, separating the package 10 into the two compartments 11 a, 11 b.

In order to open each compartment, tear-initiation means 21, 22 are provided at the circumferential edge in such a way that the tearing action progresses preferably along an edge 14, 16 furthest away from the partition line 12 This means that during use of the package most of the front sheet and back sheet stays intact and the compartment partition line 12 is intact.

By leaving the major part of the package surfaces intact during use, all information on content and how to open the package remains readable, whereby also safe use could be expected

A further preferred feature of the embodiment comprises easily interpreted graphical instructions indicating the proper opening sequence. In order to read the graphics a user will naturally hold the package in a suitable position to first manipulate the first tear-initiation means 21 and thereafter manipulate the second tear-initiation means 22 Said graphics may include large-size numbers, letters and icons or the like.

In one application of the package 10 (FIG. 3) there is an antiseptic serviette 23 in the first compartment 11 a for the user to wipe a spot on a human body before an adhesive plaster 24 is removed from the second compartment 11 b and applied to the spot as cleaned.

In order to get access to the serviette 23 and the plaster 24 a user will hold the package in reading position, tear open the compartments 11 a, 11 b in a sequence defined by functions to be performed, e.g. first cleaning a wound by the antiseptic serviette 23 and then applying the plaster 24 over the wound.

In another example of use of the package 10, the compartments 11 a, 11 b could contain a pad and a liquid product to apply on a surface with the pad, respectively. In further examples of the invention (FIG. 2), the partition line 12 in a rectangular package 10 may intersect parallel side edges 15, 17 in angles other than 90° for any possible reasons.

Further embodiments of the package (FIG. 2) can have any distinguished polygonal outline and a suitable number of partition lines. The design of the package with compartments may serve promotional purposes in addition to technical ones.

The tear-initiation means may have the form of erg, a notch 21-22, a tear tab 31-33 or a perforation zone or even an embedded tear string.

In still another example of use of the package according to the invention (FIG. 4), three compartments 11 a-c are provided giving room for an antiseptic pad 25, a spatula 26 and an ointment 27 A surface to be treated is cleaned with the pad, and then with the spatula some ointment is withdrawn from the compartment and smeared onto the cleaned surface. This package is provided with properly marked tear tabs 31-33 for opening the compartments individually. 

1. Multi-compartment package comprising a back sheet and a front sheet sealed together along the circumference thereof and a sealing partition line separating adjacent compartments, each compartment having external tear-initiation means, characterized in that the partition lines are non-breakable and the tear-initiation means are provided at the sealed circumferential edges such that the compartments stay united even after being torn open.
 2. Package according to claim 1, characterized in that on the front sheet said tear-initiation means are marked with symbols for the sequence instruction regarding the order of use of the associated compartments.
 3. Package according to claim 2, characterized in that the symbols are constituted by inherently understood sequences of eg. letters A, B, C . . . , numbers 1, 2, 3 . . . , icons or the like.
 4. Package according to claim 1, characterized in that the package is of rectangular form with the partition line extending between points on two opposite side edges, said line being in an angle between 0° and 90° to the side edges, preferably 90°.
 5. Package according to claim 1, characterized in that the package is of polygonal form having each compartment defined by at least one outer edge and one or more partition lines, each compartment being provided with a tear-initiating notch, tab or like means at the corresponding outer edge, preferably near a corner of the package.
 6. Package according to claim 1, characterized in that an adhesive is used to provide the sealed outer edges and the partition(s).
 7. Package according to claim 1, characterized in that a pressing, welding or fusion technique is used to provide the sealed outer edges and the partition(s).
 8. Use of package according to claim 1, characterized in that two compartments to be opened in sequence, contain an antiseptic serviette and an adhesive plaster, respectively.
 9. Use of package according to claim 1, characterized in that two compartments to be opened in sequence contain a serviette and a liquid product to be applied to said serviette, respectively.
 10. Use of a package according to claim 5, characterized in that three compartments to be opened in a sequence contain an antiseptic pad, a spatula and an ointment, respectively. 